Editorial: Political pawns

I think Donald Trump is often inappropriate and un-presidential. He says things and does things I completely disagree with. He makes decisions and conducts himself in ways that are odds with everything I value.

Here’s the other thing:

None of that impacts what is going on currently in Connecticut legislature.

It is profoundly disappointing that Darien’s Democratic leaders choose to either sit idly by or turn any discussion about current school regionalization legislation into a national politics referendum.

Yelling “Trump” every time someone criticizes these proposed school regionalization bills is at best ducking the issue and at worst avoiding taking a stand.

Unfortunately for Darien, one of its state reps is actually a sponsor or introducer of at least two of the bills — making it fairly difficult for Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff to take a stand on Darien’s behalf.

However, their advice, along with the @DarienDemocrats Twitter account, advised to allow the regionalization bills to go through “legislative due process” and not jump to any conclusions.

Yet, if Darien residents wait for that, what happens when these proposed bills are signed into law?

Due process and patience mean the time for speaking out, help and protest will be over — and the time for action, and reaction is too late.

For some reason, Darien Democrats continue to focus on national politics — the president and his perceived flaws.

Until they move to Washington D.C., Darien Democratic leaders on the town and state level are doing their counterparts and constituents a great disservice at the price of what can only be interpreted as their own ambition. National politics certainly affect us all, but that shouldn’t supersede local issues that affect us greatly at home.

Party aside, both Democrats and Republicans in Fairfield County have raised sincere and serious concerns with the idea of regionalizing Darien schools. Darien’s Democratic leaders owe it to their community to take a stand.

If they are for regionalization, then say so. If they aren’t, say that as well. But to drag every dissenting opinion into a national political rhetoric is disingenuous and irresponsible.

It’s not about Trump — in fact, the behavior of Darien Democrats is very Trump-esque — assassinate the credibility of any critic, and silence them with a straw man argument. Distract from the issues with irrelevant accusations.

Darien continues to deserve better from its Democratic leaders.

And before anyone says otherwise, that’s not bias — our children’s education shouldn’t be used as a political pawn. It should have nothing to do with politics.